Dallas (Time for Tammy Book 1)

Chapter 3: Dinner Date

Jane and I soon became inseparable in the way only two girls who were away from home for the first time can. She really did develop a thing for the angry basketball player, on whom we bestowed our first nickname, the "Dadian," aptly named for both his origin of birth and the fact he could pass for someone's father. I had long since given up on Eric at that point, and was eager to find my second college crush and possible first kiss.

I had never had a boyfriend and, considering the majority of my new classmates at Eckhart went around wearing next-to-nothing and came in to class on Mondays speaking of parties I wasn't invited to, I started to feel as excluded at college as I did in high school. But at least now I had a friend so I wouldn't spend the weekends alone in my dorm room.

Linda and I had become closer once her parents left to go back to Minnesota. But LaVerne never seemed to be around during the day. She basically used our dorm room for changing clothes and sleeping, silently entering the dorm room long after we were asleep.

Jane took on the role of our third roommate, frequenting our room especially on the weekends when it seemed like everyone else was partying. One night Jane decided to check LaVerne's video collection, as we'd gone through all the tapes Linda brought to accompany her VCR in the first few weeks of school.

"Hey," she said, pulling out a blank tape. "What do you think is on this?"

"Jane, let's not watch that. It could be personal," Linda replied.

"So? That's her fault for leaving it lying around."

It turned out to be a recording of LaVerne's Prom. LaVerne was a tall girl with giant muscles; she reminded me of an American Gladiator from the show I'd watched with my dad when I was younger. Her prom dress was sleeveless, all the more to show off her powerful arms. Her date was much shorter than her, but dark and handsome.

"Where's your roommate from?" Jane asked, her eyes on the screen as girls in similar sparkly dresses gathered in front of a classical-looking statue in what appeared to be a public park.

I glanced at Linda, who furrowed her brow. "New Haven?" she guessed. I nodded.

Jane's eyes finally left the TV as she glanced back at us."What, isn't that in the suburbs of New York City? Like, where all the rich people live if they don't live in the city?"

Linda and I looked at each other. "Don't know," I replied.

"If she's that rich, than why is she always borrowing money from me?" Linda asked.

Jane and I shrugged.

"Wait," Linda said, scooting closer. "I think those are LaVerne's parents." She pointed at the screen and then looked to me for confirmation.

"I don't know. I never met them."

"I did," Linda replied, a slight tinge of acid in her voice. "They made the RA and me help bring in all of her boxes of shoes." The three of us swiveled our heads toward LaVerne's bulging wardrobe. "Did you know she asked if she could store some stuff in our closet?" Linda and I were forced to share one closet, which wasn't really that bad as, unlike our roommate, neither of us had an overabundance of clothes. Or shoes.

"Wait," Jane said, her eyes back on the TV. "There's a house in the background. I bet that's where LaVerne lives." Whoever was filming panned out from the future Prom attendees to show a massive mansion.

We continued to watch LaVerne in her revelry, hugging friends and sneaking drinks from a plastic cup. At one point she lifted her Prom date up off the ground in a giant hug. Jane finally said. "I didn't even go to Prom. Did you guys?"